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Home Business in Idaho (2026)

53 rules on the books across Idaho, 14 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.

Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions

Zoning & Home Occupation Permits

Which businesses you can run from home, the home-occupation permit or registration most cities require, and the conditions attached, floor area caps, signage bans, and prohibited uses.

Bonner County

Significant Restrictions

In unincorporated Bonner County, Idaho, home occupations come in three tiers. Home Occupation I is permitted by right…

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Caldwell

Significant Restrictions

Running a business from home in Caldwell requires a home occupation permit from the Planning and Zoning Department…

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Pocatello

Significant Restrictions

In the City of Pocatello, City Code § 17.06.400 allows limited home occupations inside a residence or its accessory…

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Ada County

Some Restrictions

Ada County caps home occupations at 25% of a dwelling's total floor area or 1,000 square feet, whichever is less, and…

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Bannock County

Some Restrictions

Unincorporated Bannock County allows home occupations only in the Residential Rural, Residential Suburban and…

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Boise

Some Restrictions

Boise caps home businesses at 500 sq ft and no outside employees before a Zoning Compliance Review is required.

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Bonneville County

Some Restrictions

In the A-1 Agricultural Zone, Bonneville County caps a home occupation's accessory building at 1,000 square feet on…

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Canyon County

Some Restrictions

Canyon County Code § 07-14-11 lets residents run a home business in unincorporated Canyon County, Idaho only if the use…

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Coeur Dalene

Some Restrictions

In the City of Coeur d'Alene, every home occupation needs a home occupation certificate, and the certificate is issued…

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Kootenai County

Some Restrictions

Kootenai County lets you run a home occupation only within strict limits: it must be run by a resident family member…

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Meridian

Some Restrictions

Meridian allows home-based businesses as an accessory use in every residential zoning district, but operators must get…

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Nampa

Some Restrictions

Nampa allows home occupations in residential zones by right if they meet size, signage, employee, and traffic…

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Twin Falls County

Some Restrictions

A home occupation in unincorporated Twin Falls County must stay incidental and secondary to the dwelling and be run…

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Signage Rules

Whether you can put up a sign for your home business, including size limits, placement rules, and which types of signs are allowed.

Nampa

Significant Restrictions

Nampa limits home occupation signage to a single nameplate of two square feet or less, and the sign cannot be…

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Ada County

Some Restrictions

A home occupation sign in unincorporated Ada County follows Ada County Code 8-3-12(G): the lesser of 64 square feet or…

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Boise

Some Restrictions

Boise allows only one small, non-illuminated wall sign for a home-based business, capped at two square feet and mounted…

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Bonner County

Some Restrictions

In unincorporated Bonner County, Idaho, a home business gets one sign, not exceeding four square feet in area…

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Bonneville County

Some Restrictions

Home occupation signs in Bonneville County's residence zones are capped at one and one-half square feet, must be a…

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Caldwell

Some Restrictions

Caldwell allows one home occupation sign per dwelling unit once the city has issued a home occupation permit for the…

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Coeur Dalene

Some Restrictions

In the City of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, a commercial sign is not allowed in a residential zone or on property used for…

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Kootenai County

Some Restrictions

The county Land Use Code sharply limits residential signs. A name-only sign is allowed in any zone, but a sign carrying…

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Meridian

Some Restrictions

Meridian lets home occupations post one on-site sign, capped at six square feet, nonilluminated and permit-free, under…

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Twin Falls County

Some Restrictions

Twin Falls County bars any external sign for a home occupation beyond what County Code section 8-10-3 allows…

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Bannock County

Light Restrictions

A home occupation sign in unincorporated Bannock County cannot exceed four square feet. Section 17.52.270(H) requires…

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Canyon County

Light Restrictions

Canyon County Code § 07-14-11(6) caps a home business sign in unincorporated Canyon County, Idaho at four square feet…

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Customer Traffic Restrictions

Limits on customers and clients visiting a home business, daily visit caps, one-at-a-time rules, employee restrictions, and parking conditions that keep a home occupation from becoming a storefront.

Ada County

Significant Restrictions

Ada County splits home occupations into two tiers, and customer traffic is where they diverge sharply. A small home…

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Boise

Some Restrictions

Boise caps home-business deliveries at two per day, limits instructional classes to one student at a time, and bans any…

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Bonner County

Some Restrictions

In unincorporated Bonner County, Idaho, home occupation traffic is capped by tier: ten (10) vehicle trips per day on…

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Bonneville County

Some Restrictions

A home occupation with visiting clients in Bonneville County's A-1 Agricultural Zone may only conduct that…

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Caldwell

Some Restrictions

Caldwell caps the vehicle and delivery traffic a home business can generate. Under City Code § 10-12-03-22(4), supply…

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Coeur Dalene

Some Restrictions

In the City of Coeur d'Alene, a home occupation within one dwelling unit or permitted accessory structure cannot…

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Meridian

Some Restrictions

Meridian restricts home occupation client, customer, and employee visits to between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. citywide…

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Nampa

Some Restrictions

Nampa home occupations may host clients by appointment only, one at a time; group instruction like music or swimming…

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Pocatello

Some Restrictions

In the City of Pocatello, City Code § 17.06.400.B.7 limits any home occupation to no more than two patron vehicles on…

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Twin Falls County

Some Restrictions

In unincorporated Twin Falls County, a home occupation approved under County Code section 8-10-3 must provide adequate…

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Home Kitchen Operations

Permits for selling meals cooked to order in a home kitchen, which is a separate legal category from shelf-stable cottage food. Covers daily meal and gross revenue caps, health department inspection, and whether the county has to opt in before residents may apply at all.

Home Daycare

Licensing and zoning rules for running a daycare out of your home, including the number of children allowed, outdoor play area requirements, and safety standards.

Idaho: statewide

StatewideSome Restrictions

Idaho Code Title 39 Chapter 11 sets statewide daycare licensing requirements based on the number of unrelated children…

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Bonneville County

Significant Restrictions

Bonneville County requires anyone operating a daycare home for one to five children for pay to obtain a county license…

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Twin Falls County

Significant Restrictions

Running a daycare from home in unincorporated Twin Falls County is not a by-right use. In the Agricultural zone a group…

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Ada County

Some Restrictions

Idaho defines a family daycare home as caring for six or fewer children, a group daycare facility for 7-12, and a…

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Bannock County

Some Restrictions

In the Residential Suburban district of unincorporated Bannock County, a state-licensed day care home caring for up to…

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Boise

Some Restrictions

Boise allows a home daycare for up to six children by-right, and seven to twelve with a Zoning Compliance Review, under…

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Caldwell

Some Restrictions

Caldwell caps in-home daycares at twelve children including the provider's own, requires state licensure filed with…

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Canyon County

Some Restrictions

Unincorporated Canyon County's zoning code splits home-based childcare into three size tiers at § 07-02-03: a Family…

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Coeur Dalene

Some Restrictions

In the City of Coeur d'Alene, a home daycare is a home occupation. It needs a home occupation certificate plus a…

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Idaho Falls

Some Restrictions

Idaho Falls' building code lets a home daycare with twelve or fewer children keep its ordinary residential…

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Kootenai County

Some Restrictions

A small in-home daycare typically operates as a home occupation under the county Land Use Code, while a larger…

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Meridian

Some Restrictions

Family child care for six or fewer kids counts as a home occupation accessory use in Meridian and needs a city…

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Nampa

Some Restrictions

Nampa allows in-home daycare for up to 6 children by right in residential zones; caring for 7 to 12 children needs a…

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Pocatello

Some Restrictions

In the City of Pocatello, home daycare is capped at twelve children in the operator's own residence or twenty children…

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